Note that the phrase "Japanese Akoyas" is no longer used, since most strands combine Chinese and Japanese Akoyas. The consensus is that it doesn't matter where they're from as long as quality is high. But don't be fooled by tags that say, "Made in Japan." The strand is made in Japan, but the pearls on it may be Chinese.

What does this mean for the consumer? This clearly shows that consumers should not be deceived by pearl sellers claiming to sell Akoya pearls only from Japan. These sellers charge a premium for cultured Akoya pearls which they may indeed import from Japan. What they are not telling their customers is the fact that not all of the pearls were cultured nor were they harvested in Japan. In fact, Pearl World, The International Pearling Journal, reports that as much as 80% of the pearls in any "Japanese" Akoya pearl necklace are, in actuality, Chinese cultured pearls.

What of those companies that claim to purchase Akoya pearls directly from farms in Japan, many will ask. The answer is quite simple, unlike pearl farms in China, farms in Japan sell pearls only to factories where the pearls are polished, bleached, matched and drilled - they do not sell finished hanks of pearls (temporary strands) directly to retailers. As particular farms focus on only one size of pearl (typically within 1mm range), factories must buy pearls from numerous sources to create finished hanks of pearls. With a mix of 80% Chinese and 20% Japanese factories are able to make a handsome profit while the Japanese pearl farmers continue to lose money.

A bright spot for consumers is the fact that many pearl retailers and wholesalers are accepting the fact that Chinese Akoya pearls are, and will continue to be, the standard today, and have the integrity and honesty to express this and to educate their customers. For those retailers who will cling to the "Japanese Pearls Only" policy, eventually their deceit will be their demise.